SEOUL — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday that “all options” were available to deal with North Korea’s emerging nuclear threat, including a militarily strike if necessary to safeguard the region and American forces stationed here.

“Certainly we do not want for things to get to a military conflict,” Tillerson told reporters here. “We’ve been quite clear on that in our communications. But obviously if North Korea takes actions that threaten the South Korean forces or our own forces, then that will be met with an appropriate response.

“Let me very clear: The policy of strategic patience has ended,” he said, referring to the Obama administration's policy of trying to wait out the North Korean regime while pressing it with economic sanctions and covert actions.